2016-10-15

On October 10th and 11th, right before our departure to International Tribunal on Evictions(ITE), we(Joan, DongWon and Emily) in representative of "Strategic Committee of Anti-introduction of Naval Base for Gangjeong Village" visited the Responsible of Evictions in the case of Jeju's militarization to deliver the invitation letter of 5th ITE, where the case of "forced eviction due to Jeju's militarization" has been submitted. Through the visiting, we explained face to face why we submitted our case to International Tribunal of Eviction. Besides it, we also did one-person protesting in front of the responsible governmental organizations to further inform more people.

For the people who received our invitation letters as responsible of eviction, the question almost everyone asked is about the effect of the tribunal which means whether it is binding or not, or legally enforceable or not. So we explained again and again that the recommendations of "International Tribunal on Evictions" are non-binding and not enforceable legally. It is an ethics trial, a peoples' trial. After listening the explanation, even some responded that trial should only be carried out by judges. So we told them in the world, there's this kind of tribunal which the suffering people stand in the center and we do have professionals from the world to play as judges.

People who are not legally the judges or prosecutors came to visit and inform that "you are sued in the tribunal" might seem to be very ridiculous for them.

That our case to be selected by ITE this time is especially meaningful for us since it is the first time for the Gangjeong village to become the plaintiff and we told them that people who get this invitation letter are defendant. Gangjeong villlage who is not qualified to be plaintiff can become plaintiff for the first time. The crime of police and prosecutor who made innocent people guilty, and the crime of court who has been biased for the country, and the crime of parliament men who broke Gureombi rock...will all be presented in the tribunal. We told them directly and invite them to respond this trial. We also told them that actually, the official letters have been delivered already by ITE, but we insist to visit directly by ourselves and deliver the letters again by ourselves is hoping to enhance the power of face-to-face. We want a real dialogue. We want them to know what they have done to our community. It's not about attack but a practice to hold responsible persons responsible.

For this, Joan, DongWon, Emily and our 9-month daughter IU are leaving for Quito to participate ITE. Gangjeong is our village. We never give up our village.

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What is the International Tribunal on Evictions?The International Tribunal on Evictions is an opinion tribunal established by civil society organisations for the World Zero Evictions Days – for the Right to Habitat to practically and interactively discuss the question of forced evictions around the world. The Tribunal relies on their expertise and on the appointment of a competent and recognized Jury, as well as on the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and other instruments of international law in order to pass judgement on real cases of forced evictions that constitute human rights violations. ( http://www.tribunal-evictions.org/international_tribunal_on_evictions/about_us )